nick venedi

Thursday 19 March 2009

London Unison AGM elections

It was an interesting day at the London Unison regional AGM today with elections, a number of speakers and a few rule amendments but no motions. The meeting was well attended with around 180 delegates (my estimate)
The 3 major positions were won by Gloria for Convenor, Conroy for Deputy and John Gray for Finance Convenor (so no change) I do not know what the actual vote was but the detail will be going out to branches tomorrow, there will, no doubt, be a lot of talk about what went 'wrong' within the UL camp.
It is my opinion, for all its worth, that the UL candidates were not able to shake off the perception held by the floating voters (around 20%) who do not think that they have their interests as a priority. But this isn't the time to blame anyone and I would say that the best performers at Council today came from the UL with Andrew Berry making a good confident speech and M Campbell doing quite well. Didn't see much of Mandy though who is usually a good speaker.
Was also interesting to see how Linda Perks, Regional Secretary, held her nerve when attacked (heavily questioned) on a number of occasions at the section where rule amendments were being debated.
Very disappointed that we were not able to get to the section where motions are considered. I will do a more extensive analysis of the election when I know what the figures were.
Congratulations also to Jackie Lewis from Lambeth Unison who gave a very sincere and passionate speech in support of the motion on Palestinian Solidarity. Well done Jackie! And to Lambeth Unison for producing such splendid activists.

13 comments:

  1. Don't think LP was attacked so much as questioned on some democratic principles and seemed to need members from the floor to interpret rules for her. Officials are UNISON employees -we pay their wages -and expect a degree of competence surely for our money?

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  2. Well you didn't help the United Left much by publishing comments on your blog just a few days before the AGM did you? You could have had the debate with them instead? I accept some of your ctiticisms but the timing was wrong!

    Graham

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  3. Thanks for your comment Graham (don't know any Graham's?)

    I strted my blog two weeks ago and my intention at the time was to deal with employment law issues but it then developed into a a corner of cyber space where I place my thoughts about everything else. So the timing is just a coincidence.

    I stand by what I said before and will reiterate that I had the discussions with UL about how they are perceived (rather than how they see themselves) many times but they have ignored me (and others)

    The UL as an alternative group of activists have a clear message but they have not been able to communicate that message to those they need to convince. Elections and winning votes is about that??

    Congratulations to Gloria, Conroy and John Gray.

    Nick

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  4. Its not about the united left and the others there are people who arejust members and belong to no camp. I would imagine quite a few..

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  5. Hi Anon

    Yes I agree with your analysis is not about the fixed positions in the region there are people (quite a few of us I would imagine) who will make decisions about what we think is right and wrong and vote accordingly. I am more interested now in all of us moving on and gettng ready to defend our members when the government or new Tory administration come for our jobs and pensions which is the next chalenge!

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  6. It ok to disaggree with the Regional Sec are branch does often, but attacks at the meeting went beyond "constructive critism" and into personal attack and looked like bullying to the average deleget, this was picked up by delegetes around be

    Those of us who are "progressive" but dont want to vote for the SWP or SP need to regroup as we did previously

    We have something to say and could unlike UL get a hearing

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  7. And how comes you were not invited to the pub (as I hear) by your friends in the United L after the AGM? Time for you to stop indirectly supporting them? Let them spend their time in pubs and talk about their litle lifes. Keep away from them Nicky

    A friend

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  8. The reality is that the united lift people show disrespect and are not interested in talking to those of us who, in their opinion, don't know anything about politics as we don't agree with them. At least Glora and John G show some curtesy and respect. But the troskist wont hear any ctiticism. People who belong to no camps have strong opinions and their opinion was to vote against the united lift and not necessarily for the others. I Know the two votes my branch had went against them.

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  9. Gloria showing respect? My only personal experience of GH was last year at Conference when I asked for help as she was a regional delegate -to say she was rude would be polite. Instead I went to the other regional delgetae who was mandy B -she couldn't do enough to assist me.John G is likeable enough but gets very narrow minded -he shouted at the AGM about not having facility time as an officer -well tough, a lot of us don;t have that but we do what we do because we believe in it.He also heckled a speaker -I was sitting 3 rows behind him so I know.

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  10. There must be a lot of people related in London Unison as there appears to be a common surname that a lot of them share? Anon? Anyway.. I said I would publish almost anything. But how about we move on and concentrate on building up resistance to what will clearly be a huge attack on us soon by either this government or the next one (Probably a Tory one)
    Nick Venedi

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  11. Maybe you need to sort your own branch out first Mr Venedi? I know you can.

    Graham

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  12. Thanks Graham (Or is it Mary O'Hara or Betty Davies?)

    Very helpful

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  13. Time to examine what we are doing, as you have stated before

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